London-based duo Public Service Broadcasting perform upstairs at World Cafe Live tonight. Musician J. Willgoose, Esq. and percussionist Wrigglesworth started the band with a very specific aesthetic in mind: they pair audio samples from archival recordings, propaganda and PSAs with atmospheric instrumentations to “teach the lessons of the past through the music of the future.” Their latest release, this year’s The Race for Space, was a collaborative effort with the British Film Institute to recount the competition between the U.S. and Russia to land a man on the moon. Watch the video for “Go!” below and pick up tickets for tonight’s performance here.

Local indie garage rock group Divers made a splash with their debut single in 2012, and just wrapped production on Holding Bodies, the debut LP they will celebrate at Johnny Brenda’s on April 11. The band features Emily Ana Zeitlyn (formerly from the soul-rock group The Weeds) on vocals while scene regulars Ross Bellenoit, Todd Erk and Tom Bender join as her backing band. Continue reading →

Local outfit Divers headline Boot & Saddle tonight. The dark-rock four-piece, comprised of Emily Ana Zeitlyn, Ross Bellenoit, Todd Erk and Tom Bendel, is finishing up a new record that was funded by fans through a PledgeMusic campaign. Divers recorded a Key Studio Session in 2013; check out “Eggshells” from the session below and learn more about the new record here, which is set for a release on December 15th. Tickets and information for tonight’s show can be found here.

Philly rapper Young Chris headlines the TLA tonight. Emerging on the scene 12 years ago as an affiliate of Beanie Siegel and Freeway’s State Property collective, he branched out on his own, first as part of Young Gunz and then as a solo artist. When it comes to mixtapes, this dude is prolific, releasing on average two per year since 2007 (and embarking on the ambitious 30 Days / 30 Verses project in 2009). After a couple years of dropping random freestyle clips, Chris re-emerged this spring with the Philly-centric Gunna Season mixtape, which was praised by Stereogum: “the Philly veteran…just raps. And it’s great because he’s great at it.” Tickets and information on the show can be found at the XPN Concert Calendar; below, watch Young Chris’ video for “I’m Alive.” Continue reading →

On Wednesday night Rittenhouse Square played host to the first of two Concerts in the Park sponsored by Philadelphia Weekly. The 24th year of this concert series kicked off with three woman-fronted acts: DJ Lisa Love, Folk Fest-bound band Katie Frank & The Pheremones and Divers. It was a diverse mix of musical interests on display, from the Americana and roots of Frank to the indie rock of Divers, with some classic hip-hop thrown in from Love. Continue reading →

Lush harmonies. Equal parts folk and rock. Nature, justice, and the fire and ice of relationships. Mirah melded these qualities into a glorious brew in a return to her hometown on Saturday at Boot & Saddle. The sold-out crowd was treated to a 16-song trip through her career. Mirah showcased many highs from her recorded and live existence, from the opening selection of the chilling “Bones & Skin” and the lovely cover of Old Time Relijun’s “Lion Tamer” to the South American sounds flowing through “The Dogs of B.A.”

Backed by the strings and keys of L. Alex Guy (aka Led to Sea) and percussionist Andrew Maguire, Mirah also unveiled some songs from her forthcoming record. With a few understandable hiccups that come with performing new work, the new pieces stand tall next to the rest of her oeuvre. The high point of the new is a song Mirah said was inspired by seeing Leonard Cohen in New Zealand. Co-written with her sister, Emily Ana Zeitlyn, the track, titled “L.C.” on the handwritten setlist, features dual harmonies and thematic elements similar to some of Cohen’s most well-known work.

The main set closed with the powerful “Mt. St. Helens” and Mirah and company followed it with the joyous encore of “Words Cannot Describe.” Dancing around the stage with Guy on drums and Maguire on vibraphone, Mirah left the stage after giving the crowd what they wanted: her in every desired musical form. Smiles and applause were bountiful, indicating another homecoming cannot come soon enough.

The show was billed as a “Too Many Zeitlyns Are Never Enough” showcase, since Divers – the raw Philly trio fronted by the aforementioned Emily – performed a phenomenal opening set of rock and roll. Check out photos from the night in the gallery below, and read Mirah’s setlist after the jump.

The vocal sweetness that is Portland indie rock icon Mirah (aka Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn) will be paired with the rocked-up trio Divers, the local rock band led by her sister Emily Ana. They’re calling it the “Too Many Zeitlyns are Never Enough” show, and it happens at Boot and Saddle February 1st.

The raw power and sultry vocals of Divers should contrast beautifully with Mirah’s more melodic and tempered sound; although Mirah’s work spans across a wide range of genres and really can’t be compartmentalized into any one particular style. Having collaborated with the likes of everyone from Thao Nguyen (of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down) to tUnE-yArDs to Tender Forever, Mirah has tapped into every facet of the indie music scene.

The all-ages show begins at 8 p.m., tickets are $8 and available here. Attendees are asked to bring canned non-perishable food items to donate to Philabundance. Below, watch The Districts paying tribute to Reed at a recent festival with a cover of “I’m Waiting For The Man” by The Velvet Underground.

Two new Philly Sings Philly cover songs have been released, recorded at Turtle Studios. The latest releases of Philly artists covering and recording songs by other Philly musicians includes Sean Hoots, covering “Aubergine” by mewithoutYou and Divers covering the classic “Me and Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul. Stream them both below.

Starting tomorrow evening, Tuesday, November 5th and every Tuesday night throughout November, The Fire presents the Philly Sings Philly, a series of residencies featuring a who’s who of the Philly local singer-songwriter scene including Brad Hinton, Hezekiah Jones, Ali Wadsworth, Kevin Killen, Marc Silver, Andrew Lipke, Phillip D’Agostino, Mason Porter, Sean Hoots, Divers and many more. Check out the exact lineups for each show here.

About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH

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About The Key

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH